Echo Global Logistics, Inc., a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services, announced today the appointment of Cheryl Johnson to the post of Senior Vice President of Talent. Ms. Johnson holds more than 16 years of progressive HR industry experience, which includes several executive-level appointments.

Ms. Johnson previously led talent management for retail chain Ulta Cosmetics. Prior to her time with Ulta, Ms. Johnson served as Divisional Vice President of Strategic Talent Management for Sears Holding Company and also spent time as Vice President of Human Resources for Fossil Inc.

People are a company’s most expensive asset. It costs a lot to recruit, train, manage, communicate with, and retain employees. I’m a fan of quality over quantity with everything I do, but I find that with people it’s especially important.

Scaling a company the right way is challenging. I have scaled five businesses from zero, including my current company, the Rubicon Project, which has grown to more than 200 employees in seven offices and five countries around the world in less than five years. One rule that has served me well is to focus on hiring the absolutely best people I can find, rather than many average ones.

It sounds simple, but it does come at a cost. Great people are generally more costly. If you pick wrong, it could hurt severely. If you pick right, it’s an investment that I assure you will save you money in the long run.

Here’s why:

1. Great people attract great peopleOverall, your talent people will increase exponentially, while your recruiting costs will decrease.

2. They’ll increase your team productivityAdd fresh, new A+ talent to the team, and you’ll get everyone to step up their game, and increase productivity across the board.

3. They’ll magnify your horsepowerI’ve witnessed time and time again that one ultra-talented individual can produce the work of a team of 10.

4. Don’t overlook communication overheadEvery new hire dilutes the signal of your core communication. It simply costs a lot more to communicate with and manage a larger group of people: more meetings, more meetings, and more meetings about meetings; management, middle management, senior management, and so on. Time equals money. You get the picture? Hire fewer, sharper people.

So go out on a limb and take the risk. Hire the best person you can find. Hire the person you think you can’t afford. If you’re growing your business, everything is an investment and every investment has risk. Take the biggest risks with your most valuable assets—your people. When you get it right, they’ll yield the greatest rewards.

Frank Addante is founder and CEO of the Rubicon Project, the world’s leading real-time trading platform for online ads. A five-time entrepreneur, he sold two companies and took a third public. He is author of FounderBlog.com.